Extensible pedestal for trunks

ABSTRACT

An extensible pedestal for mounting to two sides of the bottom of a trunk to form a secured and steady support for the trunk comprises a base frame, a slide plate, a control member and an upper lid. The base frame has a housing chamber for holding a spring and two side walls located at two sides each having a slot to allow a flank ledge located at either of two sides of the slide plate to slide therein. The slide plate has a latch ledge located between the flank ledges with a latch notch formed at one end of the latch ledge to engage with a brake stub located on the bottom side of the upper lid. The control member has a compression strut located at a rear end to press the top surface of the latch ledge. The upper lid is mounted to the top of the base frame. The slide plate is slidable in the slots of the base frame for extension or retraction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates to an extensible pedestal for trunks and particularly a pedestal that is extensible to support an extensible trunk.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] A commonly used extensible trunk 10 (as shown in FIG. 1) when being extended for holding more clothing and articles, tends to tilt lopsided or even tumble because of the fixed pedestal 11 cannot be extended to balance the shifting gravity center of the trunk. It not only looks awkward, but also is not convenient to use. There are still rooms for improvement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In view of aforesaid disadvantages, it is a primary object of the invention to provide an extensible pedestal for extensible trunks that may be extended to form a secured support structure to allow an extended trunk standing upright without tilting lopsided or tumbled to enhance the appealing of the trunk and make the trunk more convenient to use.

[0006] The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] FIG.1 is a schematic side view of a conventional trunk.

[0008] FIG.2 is a schematic view of the invention, with the pedestal detached from the trunk.

[0009] FIG.3 is an exploded view of the invention.

[0010] FIG.4 is a sectional view of the invention.

[0011] FIG.5 is a sectional view of the invention, under compression.

[0012] FIG.6 is a sectional view of the invention, being extended for use.

[0013] FIG.7 is a schematic side view of the invention, attached to a trunk and extended for use.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0014] Referring to FIGS. 2 through 4, the pedestal 20 of the invention is mounted respectively to the front bottom of a trunk 70 at two sides. The pedestal 20 consists of:

[0015] a base frame 30 having an opening end 31 and two indented channels 32 located at two sides to sandwich a jutting channel 33 therebetween. The jutting channel 33 has a housing chamber 34 located therein for holding a spring 341. The base frame 30 further has two side walls 35 at two sides each has one end extended upwards to form a curved shape. The side wall 35 has a slot 351. There is a sloped edge 352 attached to the side wall 35 above the slot 351. The outer side of the side wall 35 attaches to a lug 36 which has a first aperture 37 for receiving a rivet 371 to fasten the base frame to the bottom of the trunk 70. The jutting channel 33 also has a second aperture 38 formed at a rear portion to receive a rivet 381 for fastening to the bottom of the trunk 70;

[0016] a slide plate 40 insertable into the base frame 30 through the opening end 31 having a curvy front end 41, two flank ledges 42, 43 located at two sides slidable in the slot 351 of the base frame 30, a latch ledge 44 located between the flank ledges 42, 43. The latch ledge 44 has a latch notch 45 located at one end and a retain block 46 extended downwards from the bottom side at the middle portion. The retain block 46 is extended into the housing chamber 34 of the base frame 30;

[0017] a control member 50 for controlling extension or withdrawing of the slide plate having one end formed a press section 51, two jutting stubs 52 located at two sides, and a compression strut 53 extended downwards from a lower end. The compression strut 53 has one end formed a compression plane 531; and

[0018] an upper lid 60 mounted to the top of the base frame 30 having an arched concave surface 61 to match the bottom side of the trunk 70, an indented section 62 formed on the bottom side thereof, a brake stub 63 located below the indented section 62 and a third aperture 64 matching the second aperture 38 of the base frame 30. The indented section 62 forms a slot with the sloped edge 352 of the base frame 30 to allow the jutting stub 52 to slide therein. The brake stub 63 is engageable with the latch notch 45 of the slide plate 40.

[0019] After assembling the elements set forth above to become a complete pedestal, it may be fastened to the trunk for use. When the pedestal 20 is at a withdrawn condition, the compression plane 531 of the compression strut 53 of the control member 50 is pressed against the top side of the latch ledge 44 of the slide plate 40, the latch notch 45 of the latch ledge 44 of the slide plate 40 is engaged with the brake stub 63 of the upper lid 60, and the retain block 46 of the slide plate 40 is extended into the housing chamber 34 of the base frame 30 and compresses the spring 341 (as shown in FIG. 4).

[0020] When to extend the pedestal 20 for use, depress the press section 51 of the control member 50 to move the compression strut 53 depressing the latch ledge 44 downwards to disengage the latch notch 45 from the brake stub 63 (as shown in FIG. 5), the slide plate 40 will be freed from the harness of the upper lid 60 and pushed by the elastic force of the spring 341 in the base frame 30 and will be extended outwards. During the extending movement, the flank ledges 42, 43 of the slide plate 40 will be slid in the slots 351 of the base frame 30 to make the motion of the slide plate 40 smooth without skewing so that the pedestal 20 becomes an extended condition (as shown in FIG. 6). The extended pedestals 20 give the extending trunk 70 a firm and steady support without the concerns of tilting lopsided or tumbled (as shown in FIG. 7).

[0021] When the trunk 70 is folded and withdrawn, and the pedestal 20 may be retreated, push the slide plate 40 into the base frame 30, the flank ledges 42, 43 of the slide plate 40 will slide in the slots 351 of the base frame 30, the latch ledge 44 will push the compression strut 53 of the control member 50 to move the control member 50 to its original position, and to allow the brake stub 63 of the upper lid 60 engaging with the latch notch 45 of the latch ledge 44 again. The spring 341 is also under compression in the housing chamber 34 (as shown in FIG. 7).

[0022] By means of the construction set forth above, the pedestal may be extended to provide steady and firm support for an extending trunk, and may be withdrawn when not in use so that it won't affect the appearance of the trunk. It is simple to operate and convenient to use.

[0023] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiment of the invention as well as other embodiment thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

I claim:
 1. An extensible pedestal for trunks for mounting to two sides of the bottom of a trunk comprising a base frame, a slide plate, a control member and an upper lid, wherein: the base frame has a housing chamber for holding a spring and two side walls located at two sides each having a slot to allow a flank ledge located at either of two sides of the slide plate to slide therein, the slide plate has a latch ledge located between the flank ledges with a latch notch formed at one end of the latch ledge to engage with a brake stub located on the bottom side of the upper lid, the control member has a compression strut located at a rear end to press the top surface of the latch ledge, the upper lid is mounted to the top of the base frame; wherein the pedestal is fastened to the bottom of the trunk through rivets such that the slide plate is slidable in the slot of the base frame to extend for supporting the trunk when the trunk is extended to increase housing capacity and to withdraw when the trunk is retracted.
 2. The extensible pedestal for trunks of claim 1, wherein: the base frame further has an opening end, two indented channels located at two sides to sandwich a jutting channel therebetween, two side walls at two sides thereof each has one end extended upwards to form a curved shape, and a sloped edge located above the slot; the jutting channel having a housing chamber located therein, each side wall having a lug attached to an outside surface thereof and having a first aperture formed on the lug to receive a rivet for fastening the pedestal to the bottom of the trunk, the jutting channel having a second aperture formed behind the housing chamber for receiving another rivet to fasten the pedestal to the bottom of the trunk; the slide plate has a curvy front end, two flank ledges and a latch ledge, the latch ledge having a retain block extended from the bottom side at the middle portion into the housing chamber of the base frame; the control member is for controlling extension or withdrawing of the slide plate having one end formed a press section, two jutting stubs located at two sides slidable in slots formed between the sloped edges of the base frame and indented sections of the upper lid, the compression strut having one end formed a compression plane; and the upper lid is mounted to the base frame having an arched concave surface to match the bottom side of the trunk, and a third aperture matching the second aperture of the base frame. 